by Yoshiichi Miyazaki & illustrated by Yoshiichi Miyazaki ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 31, 2013
Robin is definitely a cat with character, but this minimalist opener is more like a sampler than a developed story.
Translated from a Japanese original, this terse but cozy episode features a bored cat, marbles and other rollable items, then a scary thunderstorm and a pair of comforting arms.
Moving from left to right at cued swipes with no simulated “page turns,” successive images of a black cat—looking sharp in a beret and starched collar—appear and dissolve against plain white backgrounds. In succession, the cat bats a marble, a ball of yarn, a world globe, a daruma (a round, hollow Japanese doll) and, in a lovely animated loop, Saturn’s rings while a sprightly tune plays in the background. The cat becomes a jagged ball of feline terror when a sudden storm rolls in but then relaxes bonelessly into the arms that reach down from above. The end comes quickly, and it is followed by several screens of publisher’s ads. The text, as spare as the art, swims into view piecemeal with a nonoptional audio reading attached; as it runs to lines like “Thunder goes / roar roar roar roar” and “Robin goes / prr prr” that just reflect visible actions or echo sound effects, it is superfluous.
Robin is definitely a cat with character, but this minimalist opener is more like a sampler than a developed story. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2013
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: BlueArt
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
Share your opinion of this book
Awards & Accolades
Likes
12
New York Times Bestseller
IndieBound Bestseller
by Adam Rubin & illustrated by Daniel Salmieri ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 14, 2012
A wandering effort, happy but pointless.
Awards & Accolades
Likes
12
New York Times Bestseller
IndieBound Bestseller
The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos.
Rubin’s story starts with an incantatory edge: “Hey, kid! Did you know that dragons love tacos? They love beef tacos and chicken tacos. They love really big gigantic tacos and tiny little baby tacos as well.” The playing field is set: dragons, tacos. As a pairing, they are fairly silly, and when the kicker comes in—that dragons hate spicy salsa, which ignites their inner fireworks—the silliness is sillier still. Second nature, after all, is for dragons to blow flames out their noses. So when the kid throws a taco party for the dragons, it seems a weak device that the clearly labeled “totally mild” salsa comes with spicy jalapenos in the fine print, prompting the dragons to burn down the house, resulting in a barn-raising at which more tacos are served. Harmless, but if there is a parable hidden in the dragon-taco tale, it is hidden in the unlit deep, and as a measure of lunacy, bridled or unbridled, it doesn’t make the leap into the outer reaches of imagination. Salmieri’s artwork is fitting, with a crabbed, ethereal line work reminiscent of Peter Sís, but the story does not offer it enough range.
A wandering effort, happy but pointless. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 14, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3680-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 27, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Adam Rubin ; illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
More by Adam Rubin
BOOK REVIEW
by Adam Rubin
BOOK REVIEW
by Adam Rubin ; illustrated by Daniel Salmieri , Charles Santoso , Liniers , Emily Hughes , Nicole Miles & Seaerra Miller
BOOK REVIEW
by Adam Rubin ; illustrated by Adam Rex
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Share your opinion of this book
More by Pip Jones
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.